MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Howard edged Florida A&M 10-9 in the Orange Blossom Classic.

Rattlers Shine in the Trenches

Florida A&M (0-1) finished with 272 total yards to Howard's 195, outpacing the Bison both through the air and on the ground. The Rattlers picked up 15 first downs, including 10 through the passing game, while controlling the clock for more than 33 minutes.

Quarterback RJ Johnson III completed 17 passes for 183 yards without throwing an interception, connecting with Jalen Rogers (51 yards), Kenari Wilcher (40 yards) and Andrew Ritter (32 yards). On the ground, running backs Thad Franklin Jr. and Levontai Summersett each posted 37 rushing yards, giving the Rattlers steady production out of the backfield.

Defensive Standouts

On defense, FAMU delivered one of the night's biggest plays when Ah'Mare Lee intercepted a Howard pass late in the third quarter, swinging momentum back to the Rattlers

The defensive front was relentless. Antonio Camon and Latarie Kinsler each registered sacks, while James Gardner Jr. and Justin Bostic added key tackles behind the line. Linebacker Jason Riles Jr. led the team with five total tackles, keeping Howard's run game bottled up to just 50 rushing yards on 30 attempts — an average of 1.7 yards per carry.

Building on the Positives

Though the scoreboard favored Howard, the stat sheet told a different story. Florida A&M controlled possession averaged more yards per play and showed efficiency in both the run and pass game.

FAMU returns to action next week at Florida Atlantic. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.